Unnamed groups today put up posters in the East Garo Hills district of Meghalaya demanding termination of a circle inspector who led an alleged "fake encounter" in which one suspected militant was killed and four others apprehended.

The posters read "We Want Peace", "Honour and Uphold Human Rights", "Compensate the Victims" and also demanded termination of circle inspector T C Chako.

After a mob fury yesterday, the police was forced to release the four captive 'militant' caught after the encounter on Wednesday morning.

State Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh, however, insisted that there were specific inputs that the slain person and those arrested were associated with the militant group Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA).

The rebel killed in the encounter was engaged by the village head to make wooden planks while the other four were innocent villagers, the protesters claimed.

Claiming that the police were terrorising the people with such acts, the Federation For Achik Freedom, an NGO, has demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh to the next of kin of the slain person and removal of the circle inspector of Williamnagar who had led the operation.

The Opposition NCP, in a letter to the Home Minister, has also demanded a probe into the incident and punishment to the guilty.

GNLA 'c-in-c' Sohan D Shira called up media houses and denied that the five persons had any links with the group.

East Garo Hills SP Sylvester Nongtynger said in the encounter four camps of the GNLA were busted and an AK-47 rifle, cases of empty weapons, LMG magazine and boxes, a pistol with loaded magazine, a wireless handset, gelatin sticks, a bullet proof jacket, detonators and other explosives were found.

During the encounter, one suspected GNLA 'militant' ? Washing Marak - was killed, while four others ? Leting Marak, Paldil Marak, Mily Marak and Peper Marak ? were arrested.

GNLA 'chairman' Champion Sangma narrowly escaped in the gunbattle, police had claimed.